Print New Metal Parts the First Time Right with the Right Quality and Costs

Conference Abstract: In my presentation I would like to share the results of our research project with a Swiss research institutions about what it takes to successfully print a new design of a metal part the first time with the right quality and costs. I will explain correlations between some of the process parameters and attributes of the physical part that have an impact on defects after printing, and how to remedy those defects. The major process features that I specifically will emphasise are optimised toolpath settings, the role of melt pool size/shape, number of vectors and their length and laser scanning strategies among others. I will touch on some of the challenges of how to maintain an economical recipe while still being able to provide the desired print quality.